scare tactics

American  

[skair tak-tiks] / ˈskɛər ˌtæk tɪks /

Also scare tactic

plural noun

1. a strategy to get someone to comply or surrender by making them afraid.

   Scare tactics won't keep kids from using drugs, says this social worker.

   In this telemarketing scam, perpetrators use the threat of a computer meltdown as a scare tactic to get victims to send money.

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Etymology

Origin of scare tactics

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

"But it's hard to ignore that Anthropic has a history of scare tactics."

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

“Those programs were scare tactics, right?” said Sanho, who was a student activist when the government first invited “Officer Friendly or Not-So-Friendly” to come into the classroom.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2025

Some activists believe that scare tactics are precisely what is needed in order for people to take action themselves.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024

This does not mean using scare tactics, which have been shown to backfire.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2024

The PSFs had switched over to outright scare tactics years ago, but there was a time when all of their questioning had been done in soft voices.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken